woodard



Feb. 7, 1956 w. M. wooDARD y DIE HANDLING INDUSTRIAL TRUCK 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Deo. 23; 1952 RWM ma M. ma MM Feb. 7, T956 w. M. woon/ARD DIE HANDLING INDUSTRIAL TRUCK I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dao. 23, 1952 l INVENTOR.

Wurm M. Waaaao Feb. 7, 156 w. M. wooo/mn 2,733,822

DIE: HANDLING INDUSTRIAL TRUCK Filed Dec. 25, 1952 3 sheets-sheen s 3 INVENTOR.

WAZ 75@ M. WOOD/1190 MM( E ,5a/112i l,porting or 'depositing them at a Storage area.

united safes Araam-'or' Y nIE HANDLING INDUSTRIAL TRUCK "Walter M. Woodard, Grafton, Ohio, assignor to Elwell- `Pa'lrr Electric "Company, Cleveland, hio, a corpora- 'lhe present invention relates to industrial trucks and -.particularly to an industrial truck of the tier lift type for Vthe manipulation and transport of dies.

In modern manufacturing-operations wherein material is shaped `by forming tools such vas dies in injection casting, forging or stamping presses and like machines, a particular `press may be used for the production of `a variety of articles so that the formingtools or dies are often changed. Since the-dies are usually heavy, ranging from under D pounds to tons in weight, changing them at the `presses and transporting them between presses and die storage frequently involves laborious, difficult -manipulations, despitethe use of cranes or similar aids in moving the dies into and out of the machines and in trans- The present invention contemplates the provision of an industrial truck of the tier lift type adapted to facilitate the changing of dies at the presses and the transportation thereof to `and from storage location.

To-this end, in an industrial tier lift truck the carriage l of the lift elevator of the truck is provided with a die supporting platform mounted in such manner as permits tilting of the platform from normal horizontal load transporting position forwardly and laterally of the truck; and further is provided with a Winch mechanism, the winch cables whereof may be secured to a die to apply a force moving or controlling movement ofthe die rela- Ative to the platform. Thus, `in the truck of this inven- VVtion, the die supporting platform `may be adjusted in s height, and if necessary, in angular position, to bring the platform surface `into substantial alignment with the press bed where dies are being changed, and bythe winch f mechanism the die may be drawn onto the platform from `thepress bed. Where a die is being put into the press the platform may be tilted from a `horizontal position to slide the die into the press bed, under the control of the winch cables, if desired. When the die is beingremoved from or placed in storage the tilting of the platform and jthe Winch cables may be used in a similar fashion. The

truckmay of course be used advantageously for han- Vdling loads other than dies and like articles.

`The general object of the present invention is then the .provision of an industrial truck adapted to sideand endremoval and reception of a load. Another object is the provision of a truck adapted to facilitate the changing of dies in presses and the like where access to the press *maybe restricted. Another object is the provision of an i industrial truck having a load receiving platform which 2,733,822 Patented `'Feb-.7, 1956 ice 2 will appear from the following description and the drawings wherein: s

Fig. 1 isa side elevational view of the fore part of an industrial truck of this invention, onlythe pertinent parts of the invention being shown;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view corresponding to Fig. l;

Fig. 3 isa front elevational view ofthe truck with the die handling platform inclined to one side; and

Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of the cable reeving system on the elevator carriage of the truck with the cables reeved for drawing a die onto Athe die platform from the right side o'f the vehicle.

In the drawings' is shown one end of the chassis T of an 'industrial truck, provided with an uprightfe'levator frame structure F, whereon an elevator carriage C may be raised and lowered, the elevator carriage having a vertical, transverse forward plate 1G 'supporting the die manipulating apparatus or mechanism to be hereinafter described. The die -handlingmechanism includes a forwardly tilt'able platform 12, a platform supporting frame with a pair of long inner beam members 13 and 'a pair of short outer members 14 extending forwardly of a vertical frarne base Aplate 15, and a Vframe rotating unit having a fixed base ring 17 'secured to the carriage 10 and mountingia'rotatable member 18 carrying the frame base plate 15. The vertical extensions 13a and 14a ofmembers 13 and 14, being "welded to 'the rear face and edges of plate `15, serve to reenforce the frame baseplate. Within the rotating unit, any suitable actuating mechanism of ,the "types known to the prior art is provided, whereby the member 18 maybe rotated in either direction about an axis `longitudinal of the truck. Theelevator carriage lifting mechanism and the vehicle driving and controlling systems may be any of thev'arious forms known to the art, such as hydraulically or mechanically operated elevator mechanisms, and electrical or gasoline vehicle power systems. Since the specic form of the rotating mechanism of- `the elevator carriage actuating means and of the vehicle control and driving mechanisms are not per se part of the invention herein claimed, they are not described in detail. K s The platform` 12 is mounted tiltably relative tothe frame onfa horizontal, transverse shaft 20 carried on the forward ends of beam members 13 by the pivot lug structure 21 on the bottom of the platform. The yshort forwardly extending members' 14 support the rear of the platform when in untilted position relative to the frame. Beneath the `platform and Vbetween the members 13 there ris mounted a platform tilting unit having a motor 23, a housing 24 carrying the motor and pivotally mounted to the frame by'lateral stud shafts 25, and a jack-screw arm `26 extending from and retractable relative to the housing 24. The end of arm 26 is pivotally secured to bracket structures V27 depending from vplatform 12 by a shaft 28 parallel to the common axis of the housing pivot shafts 25. vThe jack arm 26 of the unit is screw engaged by a rotating nut held from axial displacement in the `housing and drivenby a suitable gearing in the housing 24 through motor` 23, but the actuating unit may also comprise a hydraulic `piston and cylinder between shafts 25 and 28 or a rack moved by a pinion or worm within the housing driven `through gearing by motors 23. 'By whatever means the jack arm Y26 is powered-hydraulic, screw or rack means, the jack arm and its actuating mechanism are such that the jack arm may be retracted and extended relative to the housing to tilt the platform 12 and restore it to normal position. l Y

A motor and speed reduction unit 30, 31 supported by the bracket plate 32 on base` plate 15 Vdrives in either `direction "a shaft 33 extending` transversely through the speed reducer and journalled in the upper portions of vertical extensions 14a of the frame members 14 which are secured to the lateral edges of base plate 15. This power transmission is provided for driving the cable drums 35a, 35h carried respectively, as viewed in Fig. 3, on the left and right ends of the shaft 33. A system of pulley wheels is provided whereby the cables 37a, 37b, wound in or payed out by drums 35a, 35b respectively (omitted in al1 but Fig. 4 for the sake of clarity in the drawings) may be reeved to apply a force in a chosen direction. A pair of like wheels 38a, 381) are mounted with axes parallel to shaft 33 at opposite sides of the frame on the lower portions of members 34, and above and inward of these a second set of reevingpulleys 39a, 39b are disposed on the forward face of plate 15 above the level of the platform 12. Near the forward end of the platform a pair of Wheels 41a, 41b are mounted to the depending lateral platform skirts 40 to be coplanar respectively with the wheels 38a and 38b, while on the forward skirt 42 a pair of coplanar wheels 43a and 43h, and a bumper or guard 44 therefor, are mounted.

In Fig. 4 the manner of reeving the cables about these several reeving pulleys is shown for drawing a die, engaged by hooks 46a and 46h, onto the platform from the right side. For controlling the motion of a die being slid off the platform by tilting to the right, or to apply a moving force to a die being removed to the left side of the platform (as when the platform is horizontal), the same manner of reeving may be used. If a die is to be drawn to the platform from the opposite side or the force application for any other reason is to be reversed from that just described, the cablereeving is simply reversed from that shown in Fig. 4, that is, cable 37b is passed successively about 38h, 41b and 43b; and cable 37a about 38a, 39a and 39b. For applying an inward force component directed endwise of the platform, the cables may be brought forward from pulleys 38a, 38b or directly from the drums. To apply force to a load directed outwardly and endwise of the platform, the cables may be reeved from each drum about the corresponding lateral pulleysk with the cable ends extending toward the rear of the platform, that is in the order 35a, 38a, 41a and 35b, 38b, 41h. Other pulleys may, of course, be provided at positions permitting the cables to be reeved in a manner allowing effective applicationof a force component in a particular desired direction.

The several pulleys are preferably disposed so that the cables mayV extend tangentially from one pulley groove to another in the reeving pattern of Fig. 4 or its reverse, and the pulleys 33a, 38h are each located in a plane bisecting the length of the corresponding drum to permit smooth transfer of the cables between drum and pulley. A transverse guide and guard bar 45 is provided at the rear of the platform 12 whereby a die is prevented from encountering the pulleys on the base plate 15, and this bar also serves as a guide or gauge in directing the movement of dies on or off the carriage.

It s to be understood, of course, that for the actuating means of the winch, forward tilting, lateral tilting and carriage positioning mechanisms control systems are provided adapted to the specific forms of actuating means used, which preferably are operable from the operators station on the vehicle.

In transporting a die or other load the platform isv maintained horizontal with the carriage usually in a lowered position, according to the general practice. Since both side, endor under some circumstances even diagonal-removal or loading are possible the truck may be brought into the place of operations which would be inaccessible to a truck adapted only to end-removal or loading. When a die is to be deposited at a storage location or in the die bed of a'machine several procedures are possible, depending upon the physical layout or structure of the machine or the storage location. For example, if side removal is required and the die bed is inclined, as shown Aby the dashed outline designated B in Fig. 3, the carriage may be elevated and then rotated laterally to permit the die to slide sideways from the platform into the die position D on the bed. If desired, with the cables reeved oppositely to Fig. 4 hooks 46 of the winch cables may be secured to the die before the platform is tilted laterally, and then after lateral tilting the cables may be payed out from drums 35a, 35b to control the motion of the die so that it may be guided by external means, if necessary, into the exact position in the bed. A die may also be slid endwise from the platform by a forward tilting of the platform elevated to a desired position, as shown by the dashed outlines in Fig. l, for directing the die either into a die storage location or into an inclined machine bed. Where control of the die movement is desired by means of the winches, the cables may be extended forwardly of the platform directly from the drums. Where unloading is not possible by tilting the platform suiciently to slide the load, the cables may be reeved to draw the die from the platform. In extreme cases pulley blocks, mounted externally to the truck, may be used.

ln similar fashion, where a die is to be removed from a particular location the truck is maneuvered to bring the platform into proximtiy with the die. The carriage elevation and, if necessary, the angular disposition of the platform are set in accordance with the bed or surface on which the die is positioned and then the die is drawn onto the platform by means of the cables reeved to apply a drawing force in the .proper direction. The height and tilt adjustments of the platform position thus permit great flexibility n the use of the truck in manipulation of dies which are to be deposited from or loaded onto the die supporting platform. Though the invention has been described in terms of die loads and die handling operations, this invention may of course be used for other loads and in other environments.

I claim:

l. An industrial truck comprising a vehicle chassis; an elevator mounted on the chassis including a vertically movable carriage; an assembly including a load carrying platform and platform supporting frame; power actuated assembly rotating means mounting said assembly to said carriage for rotation about a horizontal axis; said assembly having means mounting said load carrying platform to said frame to tilt away from said carriage about an axis transverse to said horizontal axis; platform tilting power means interposed between said frame and platform; cable and winch means on said assembly; and a plurality of cable reeving pulleys disposed on said assembly to permit application of force through said cable means to a load being moved relative to said platform. Y

2. An industrial truck comprising a vehicle chassis; an elevator mounted on the chassis including a vertically movable carriage; a platform supporting frame;

u power actuated rotating means mounting said frame to said carriage for rotation about a horizontal axis; a load carrying platform mounted on said frame to tilt away from said carriage about an axis transverse to said horizontal axis; platform tilting power means interposed between said frame and platform; power driven winch means on said frame; cable means wound by saidrwinch means; and a plurality of cable reeving pulleys disposed on said frame and platform to direct said cable means for the application of force to a load being moved onto said platform.

3. An industrial truck comprising a vehicle chassis; an elevator mounted on the chassis including a vertically movable carriage; a platform supporting frame, extending from said carriage toward an adjacent end of the vehicle; power actuated rotating means mounting said frame to said carriage for rotation about a horizontal axis longitudinal of the vehicle; a load carrying platform mounted on said frame to tilt away from said carriage` about an'axis transverse to said horizontal axis; platform tilting power means interposed between said frame and platform; power driven winch means on said frame; cable means wound by said winch means; and a plurality of cable reeving pulleys disposed on said frame and platform to direct said cable means for the application of force to a load being moved relative to said platform.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,590,496 Carr June 29, 1926 

